Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-22
A BREAK FOR LIFE,
And Desperately Seeking TO Take Life to
Gain Liberty.

And Desperately Seeking to Take Life to
Gain Liberty.
A dispatch to the RECORD MON, Pub
lished yesterday, related the tact th;f the
notorious criminal and prison breaker
Schmidt, attempted to escape from Folsom
Prison and to murder Warden McComb on
Wednesday evening. The Examiner con-
tains further particulars of the affair as
follows:
Warden McComb was perturbed to-day,
having Just passed through an ordeal with
William Schmidt, the convict who was de-
sected by the Prison Directors in his at
tempt to escape from his dark cell on the
10th instant. On that occasion Schmidt
was surprised whilst preparing to fiingout
of his cell two blocks of granite which he
had succeeded in unloosing preliminary to
making rush. and attacking Captain Paul
and guard with a rough dagger, which he
had manufactured by removing the wire
from his slop-bucket and sharpening the
edge. When discovered on that occasion,
he was removed to dark cell No. 23S, where
he was confined up to half past 3 o'clock
Wednesday afternoon.
AT that hour Schmidt's cell was opened
to allow of the prisoners supper being
passed in. The guards who stood by the
door had been removed. Schmidt stood
back in one corner till the door was partly
open, when he made a sudden t1ger-like
spring and gained the corridor. In his
hand was clasped long, dark. dagger-lil1e
instrument similar TO that taken from him
when detected by the Directors.
Waving it aloft, he sprang down the cor
ridor, and out past the little room where
the Captain of the Watch makes his head
quarters. A few feet from this point a
stairway communicates with the balcony
running about the upper tiers of cells. Up
this the convict sprang and with one leap
shot out through an opening in the roof,
which is now only about half finished.
Once out on the roof, Schmidt made
lively time for the north side of the iail.
Some fifteen feet out swung rope attached
to the boom OF derrick, which had been
used in hosting material to the roof.
For several seconds he stood gazing out
on the rope swinging in the breeze. 1t
would require an immense spring TO reach
1t, and failure meant fatal plunge to the
roadway, fifty or sixty feet below. Just
once he couched, as if about to spring, but
Just at that moment, the alarm having
been given, there appeared several guards
armed with Winchesters.
Schmidt glared down at the black muzzles
of the guns like panther at bay. then
turned back across the roof to the south
side of the prison. Here another derrick
stood, and the rope attached to the beam
was almost within easy reach. With cat
like spring the desperate prisoner reached
the rope, and like fash hand over hand
shot downwards to the ground
From the guard posted on hills about the
prison peeped the muzzles of rifles. and
from all sides rang oct the command
Halt haltln
Without pausing an instant Schmidt
dashed towards the Warden's office spring.
ing behind the projection and corners in the
prison till safely out of range of the guards
rifles.
In less than five seconds he was on the
steps leading to Warden McCombs Office.
An unarmed guard attempted to stay the
maddened convicts progress. but at the
sight of the murderous instrument in his
hand fell back. Schmidts course n Nc
Combs apartments was now clear and il is
to prisoner that the Warden in all prob
ability owes his life.
Fat Jack" Riley, sent from San Fran
cisco for assaulting an old woman in the
Southern Pacific freight sheds a few years
since, was the man. He saw Schmidt
slide down the rope and run toward the
office. Grasping the situation, Riley ran
toward McCombs office and sprang upon
the astonished Warden, yelling Look
out It's Schmidt! He's got a knife p
Riley is stalwart fellow, and in a mo-
ment the door of the apartment was
slammed to and his shoulder against il
and none too soon. AS the lock clicked
Schmidt reached the door. A test of
strength was the result.
Riley, fearing that his fellow prisoners
entrance would in all probability mean
death to himself as well as the Warden
threw all his muscle in the endeayor to
keep the door closed
Schmidt, strapping fellow, crazed BY
his long months of solitary confinement.
flung himself savagely against the closed
portal, but to no avail
Riley held the fort. Warden McComb.
who had been quietly writing when the
alarm was given. sprang for his pistols,
Securing revolver, he spoke to Riley to
let Schmidt come in.
Fat Jack gazed aghast.
" Let him in ?" he murmured, interroga-
lively.
Yes. Open the door,"
Riley obeyed.
As his great frame Withdrew itself from
against the portal it banged open. In the
opening Schmidt was revealed. arrayed in
his convict garb his face whitened BY long
confinement, his hair disheveled and his
eyes flashing fire.
He presented terrible sight. In his
right hand was still clasped the deadly
weapon of his own manufacture. Facing
him was the Warden
The revolver in McComb's grasp covered
Schmidt's heart.
For few moments the most intense
silence prevailed. The officer and convict
glared into each others eyes
McCornb broke the silence.
Throw up your hands" he said.
Schmldts only answer was to suddenly
thrust his dagger up into his sleeve
Throw up your hands, or I will kill
you !" repeated the Warden.
The prisoners eye wavered. He glanced
uneasily at the ..shining barrel of the pis-
toll covering his heart.
For the last time, throw up your
hands ~
McComb's finger pressed the trigger.
Slowly the conyict's hands went into the
air. As Schmidt obeyed. Riley and another
convict present secured him, and fifteen
minutes later be again nccuri ed q 6t1ncreor,